Escape device for submarines



Dea. 31, 1929. 1 W, COQKE 1,741,827

ESCAPE DEVICE FOR sUBMARINEs Filed March 3, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l @WMM fM/Q/ M144 Dec. 31, 1929. J. w. CQOKE Y 1,741,827 ESCAPE DEVICE FOR SUBMAHINES Filed Maroh', 1928 2 Sheecs--Sheet` 2 Patented Dec. 31, 1929 PATENT oFicE JOHN W. COOKE, OIE' COLGATE, MARYLAND ESCAPE DEVICE Fon sUBMAniivEs Application filed March 3,

This invention relates to submarines and `has special reference to an escape device for submarine boats.

One important object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this character by means of which all of the persons who may be trapped in a sunken submarine may be carried to the surface of the water without danger and withoutsubjecting them to pressure from the depth of the water in which the submarine may be sunk.

A second important object of the invention `is to provide means of improved character for positively expelling a series of man carry ing projectiles from a submarine.

"A third important object of the invention is to provide means including a spring capable of being tensioned from within the `submarine for producing the expulsion of `such projection.

A fourth important object of the invenj tion is to provide means whereby the release of such spring may be controlled from within a projectile.

` lith the above and other objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed.V

In the accompanying drawings like characfters of reference indiacte like parts in the several views, and:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a submerged submarine showing the water above it and certain of the projectiles as they 1928. Serial No. 258,715.

Figure 5 is a bottom view of the expulsion tube. l

ln the present yembodiment ofthe invention and in the drawings there'is disclosed a portion of a submarine hull and extended downward through a suitable opening in the top of this hull and secured firmly therein is a vertical tube 11 which projects slightly above the top of the hull as clearly seen in Figures 2 and 3. From one side of this upwardly projecting portion extends a` bracket 12 to which is hinged a closure which seats on the upper end of the tube 11 and consists of a body portion 13 and a cushion or gasket 14 to render the closure watertight when thus seated. Obviously, the greater the pressure the more firmly will the closure be seated on the upper end of the tube but it is desirable to ensure the closing of the closure by means of a leaf spring 15 which is secured at one 'end to the hull 10 and bears at its other end on top of said closure.

Within the hull the tube 11 is cut away at one side to form an inlet opening 16 and eX- tending from this inlet opening is a platform or gallery 17 for supporting the man carrying projectiles. The lower end of the tube `11 is provided witha fixed closure 18 having an opening through its center through which extends the stem or `piston rod 19 carrying on its upper end a piston 20 supporting an elasutic pad or cushion 21. Between the piston 2O and the closure 18 is arranged a powerful coiled spring 22 which, when compressed,

permits the pad 21 to sink to a level with the S platform or gallery 17. At the lower end of the piston `rod 19 is an eye 23 wherewith shaft of this drum 28 is xed a gear 29 wherewith meshes a pinion 30 actuated by a. crank 31 and provided with a swinging pawl 32. By means of this apparatus it will be seen that rotation of the crank 31 in the proper direction will draw the piston rod 19 downward and compress the spring 22, the spring being held compressed at this time by the pawl 32. In the piston rod 19 there is provided a notch 33 which is so located that when the spring 22 is compressed this notch lies just below the closure 18 so that a flat lever 34, pivoted on the bottom of the closure 18 to swing in a horizontal plane, may swing into this notch and thus lock the rod 19 from movement. The lever 34 is urged to position in the notch by means of a spring 35 but may be held back from such position by means of a pin 36 chained by a chain 37 to the closure 18 in order that it may be prevented from loss.

Each of the man carrying projectiles is arranged to form a watertight closure and is provided with a cylindrical body 38 closed at its bottom by a flat plate 39 and at its top by a conical hood or cover 4() having a heavy sight glass 41 set therein. In one side of the body is a door 42 which is hinged to the body and may be locked closed by a closure 43. Of course, this door is arranged so that it is watertight. One or more of these projectiles is provided at the side opposite the door with an internally threaded boss 44 through which extends a locking screw 45 having an operating handle 46 and this screw is provided with a point 47 which fits, when projected, in a suitable opening 48 in the side of the tube 11.

This locking screw is provided principally for the final projectile to be expelled and need only be usedin this final projectile although it may be provided with a number of other projectiles.

In operation the people endeavoring to escape from the submarine assemble around the tube 11 and one of the men, by means of the crank 31, compresses the spring 22. Then one of the projectiles is shoved from the gallery 17 onto the elastic pad 21, a man enters through the door 42 and closes the door. Meanwhile, the pawl 32 has been turned back and the lever 34 allowed to engage the notch 33. If desired the hook 24 may be detached from the point 23. When the man is in position in the projectile and `the door closed one of the remaining men of the crew releases the lever 34 from the notch and the sprinfr 22 expands, carries the projectile upwardly and the top of the projectile strikes the closure 13, forces it open and ascends to the surface of the water.

Vhen it comes the turn of the last man to escape he draws the piston downward and compresses the spring as before. He then goes into the last projectile and operates the screw 45 to lock the projectile to the side of the tube 11. He then releases the lever 34 and holds it released by the pin 36, leaving the projectile to accomplish this. Finally he returns to the projectile, shuts the door 42 and unscrews the screw 45 whereupon the projectile is ejected as before.

There has thus been provided a simple andeilicient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departingfrom the material spirit thereof. It is not, therefore, desired to conline the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. An escape device for submarines including an ejector tube having a loading opening at one side, a man carrying projectile insertable through said opening releasable means operable from wit-hin the projectile for engaging the tube and locking the projectile to the tube, spring operated means associated with said tube for ejecting the projectile, means exterior of the tube for tensioning said spring means, a latching device on the exterior of the tube for engaging the spring operated means and releasably restraining the same from operation, and a stop device for holding the latching device out of operation.

2. An escape device for submarines including an ejector tube having a loa-ding opening at one side, a man carrying projectile insertable through said opening, spring operated means associated with said tube for ejecting the projectile, means exterior of the tube for tensioning said spring means, a. latching device on the exterior of the tube for engaging the spring operated means and releasably restraining the same from operation, and a stop device for holding the latching device out of operation.

3. An escape device for submarines comprising in combination, a tube having the upper end portion thereof projecting through the top of the hull of a sunken vessel, said tube being formed with a loading opening in the side thereof, a floatable chamber insertable through said opening, a vertically movable piston arranged within the lower portion of the tube and constituting a support for the floatable chamber, a piston rod connected at its upper end to the piston and extending through the bottom of the tube, an expansible coil spring encircling the piston rod and disposed between the lower end of the tube and said piston for normally urging the piston upwardly to project the fioatable chamber outwardly through the upper end of downwardly to compress the expansible coil `the tube, means for moving the piston rod..

spring including a Winding drum Secured Within the hull of the boat, a cable attached at one end to the lower end of the piston rool and at its opposite end to the drum and around which the saine is to be Wound, means for holding the piston rod in a lowered position to maintain the coil spring under compression, and a closure for the upper end of the tube movable to an open position by the floatable chamber When the latter is projected from the tube.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN W. COOKE. 

